Rachel Portman writes Proms work

Rachel Portman, one of UK’s leading film composers, is currently working on a major concert work to be premiered at this year’s BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Portman, who is best known for her sensitive scores to films such as Chocolat, The Cider House Rules and The Lake House, is composing a work entitled “The Water Diviner’s Tale” in collaboration with poet Owen Sheers. It tells the story of a group of children who are lost after a devastating storm, inspired by the hurricane Katrina, and tackles the subject of global warming.
“I am very interested in writing a piece about climate change,” Rachel Portman commented to Film Music Weekly, and continued:
“It’s for full orchestra, five soloists, large youth chorus, and spoken storyteller with a children’s chorus for which we are holding open auditions shortly.”
Portman, whose latest film score is The Feast of Lovefor director Robert Benton, is also working on a stage musical based on the 1970s family western TV series Little House on the Prairie, entitled “Prairie” and set to go into production in the US next summer.
“Film scoring remains my core writing however,” Rachel Portman said to Film Music Weekly. Portman won the 1997 Oscar for her Emma score and she has worked with esteemed directors such as Roman Polanski, Jonathan Demme, Wayne Wang, Mike Newell and Lasse Hallström.